1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope device having an image pickup processing portion which converts an observed image into an image signal to be displayed on a display unit of an endoscope for obtaining the observed image by inserting an inserting portion at a portion to be observed. More particularly, the present invention relates to an endoscope device which displays a preferable observed image to be displayed without any feeling of strangeness in accordance with a field-of-view direction of an operator, irrespective of the setting direction of the display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an endoscope is widely used in the medical field and the industrial field. Generally, an observed image obtained by the endoscope is displayed on a display unit.
The above-mentioned endoscope device performs the examination and medical procedure by inserting an inserting portion of the endoscope while observing the observed image (endoscope image) displayed on the display unit such as a monitor. Therefore, it is requested that an operator performs the examination and medical procedure without any feeling of strangeness and the desired observed image is certainly displayed for recognition.
In consideration of the above-mentioned request, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-350104, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-390, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-287921 disclose the endoscope devices as conventional arts.